Doctor struck off over child porn

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A doctor from North Yorkshire who possessed hundreds of pornographic images of children has been struck off.

Dr Euan McLusky, of Harrogate, admitted his fitness to practise was impaired after he was cautioned for possession of 700 images of children.

The General Medical Council (GMC) found that his conduct was a risk to the well-being of children.

Striking him off, GMC hearing chairman Dr Ann Barker said: "It involves a fundamental breach of patients' trust."

Dr Barker said Dr McLusky had shown a "reckless disregard" for the principles of his profession and abused a position of trust in a manner which caused "grave concern".

"It inevitably brings the profession into disrepute," she said.

"Therefore this panel's decision is that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction is erasure."

'Very remorseful'

Earlier, she said he acted "in a manner unbefitting a doctor" and "breached his fundamental duty towards children and young people".

The panel "considers his possessing and viewing of the indecent images of children as a risk to their well-being, and that in so doing, he contributed to the demand for the creation and distribution of such material", she said.

Dr McLusky was neither present nor represented at the hearing in central London but accepted by a letter from his solicitors that his fitness to practise was impaired.

He also said he was "very remorseful", recognised the gravity of the situation, and assured the GMC that "he does not indulge in such activity now and will never do so again", the panel heard.

On 21 October last year, Dr McLusky was cautioned at Harrogate police station for being in possession of indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child and indecent photographs of children between January 1 1990 and February 27 2008, the panel heard.

It was also told that his name has been put on the sex offenders register and would remain on the register until 21 October next year.